Car-coupling



(No Model.) v

O. S. GUERNSEY.

) 'GAROOUPLIHG.

N Patented July 18, 1893.

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UNITED STATES 1 PATENT O FICE.

OSCAR S. GUERNSEY, OF SEYMQUR, INDIANA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,832, dated July 18,1893.

Application filed July 29, 1892. Serial No. 441.639. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR S. GUERNSEY, residing at Seymour, in thecounty of Jackson and State of Indiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do'hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatically operating carcouplers, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter to be fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

The object of my invention is to produce a car coupler which shall beentirely automatic in its action, which shall be fitted for use on allstyles of railroad cars,which shall meet all the varied requirements ofrailway traffic in the switching and handling of cars, and which shallbe so simple in construction that any part can be readily replaced incase of accident to the same.

To this end, my invention consists in the use of a two-part spring,p1aced inside the drawmouth of the car, each of which parts isprovided'with an extending flange projecting toward the other part. Whenthe drawmouth is empty, and before the insertion of the linktherein,these projecting flanges meet and form a ledge in which thecoupling pin rests, thus preventing the coupling pin from dropping intothe drawmouth. When, however, alink is forced into the drawmouth, itpresses the two parts of the spring apart, thus allowing the couplingpin to drop. The passage of this coupling into its lower socket isrendered perfectly certain by a stop formed in the link,

and extending across the interior of the same.

A feature of my invention also resides in the mechanism I employ to holdthe coupling pin entirely free of the drawmouth when desired.

My invention is fully represented in the drawings accompanying andforming a part of this application, inwhich the same reference numeralsrefer to the same or corresponding parts, and in which-- Figure 1 is anend view of a car provided with my coupling device, showing the couplingpin passed through the drawmouth and the mechanism which I use to raiseor lower the same. Fig. 2 is a section of the endportion of the carshowing the coupling pin 1n position in the drawmouth. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the coupling pin held, by the action of thetwo-part spring, out of the drawmouth. Fig. 4 is a view of Fig. 2 takenon the line mac. Fig. 5 is a view of Fig. 3 taken onthe line 'y y. Fig.6 is a view of the end portion of the car which is fitted to receive adouble coupling link, the said link being shown in position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the body of the car, which isprovided with a 'drawmouth 2, and the drawbar 3, of the usualconstruction. In the interior of the drawmouth and extending from end toend of the same, I place a spring 4, which is bent so as to present twoprojecting ends, on the upper front edge of each of which is formed aprojecting flange 5. A block of wood ,or other material 6, is held inposition in the rear of the drawmouth between the two parts of thespring by suitable bolts or screws, and acts to increase the rapidityand firmness of action of the parts of the spring. When there is nocoupling link in the drawmouth the action of the spring is such, as toforce the two projecting flanges 5 together and thus form a continuousledge through the upper central portion of the drawmouth on the top ofwhich the coupling pin 7 normally rests. The sa d coupling pin isconnected by means of sultable links to one end of the pivoted handlebar 8, which is pivoted to the end of the car near one side of the same.The ratio of the lengths of the two ends of this handle bar or leverrelative to the pivot, is such that a small movement of the handle endof the bar will cause such a movement at the other end as to draw thecoupling pin entirely out of the drawmouth. By the use of the fan-shapeddog 9, pressing against the short arm of the I lever 8, the saidcoupling pin may be held completely out of the drawmouth when desired.

When a link enters the drawmouth, it presses the two portions of thespring; apart, forcing the two parts of said spring tightly against thesides of the drawmouth and separating the flanges 5, so that an aperture1s formed between them sufficient to allow for ICC the descent of thecoupling pin 7 through the drawmouth into its lower socket 10, the stop11, extending across the interior of the coupling link, rendering suchdescent of the coupling pin certain.

In Fig. 6, a modification of the drawmouth is shown, the drawmouth beingdoubled and being fitted for the reception of the double couplinglink.The construction and operation of the parts are not, however, materiallydifferent from that of the simpler form of drawmouth already described,and it therefore needs no separate description. It is evident thatinstead of using the pivoted lever B and fan-shaped dog 9, to withdrawthe coupling pin from the drawmouth, a simple chain 12, extending to thetop of the car may be used instead. Thus the coupling pin may bewithdrawn from the drawmouth either from the top or side of the car.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawmouth, having securedinside of the same a spring with two forwardly projecting ends, each ofwhich has on its upper surface a side projecting flange, of a couplingpin resting on the said flanges when the drawmouth is empty, and a linkprovided with an interior stop, for entering the drawmouth and causingthe said coupling pin to pass through the drawmouth, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawmouth, having securedinside of the same a spring with two forwardly projecting ends, each ofwhich has on its upper surfacea side projecting flange, of a couplingpin resting on said flange when the drawmonth is empty, a link forentering the drawmouth and separating the two ends of the spring tocause the passage of the coupling pin through the drawmouth, and thelever 8 and the fan-shaped dog 9, for holding the said coupling pinentirely free of the drawmouth when desired, substantially as described.

OSCAR S. GUERNSEY.

Witnesses:

SIMoN EACRET, THOMAS M. STEWART.

